Automatic machine for assembling cartons from blanks



Aug. 6, 1957 2,801,578

AUTOMATIC MACHINE FOR ASSEMBLING CARTON S FROM BLANKS Filed Sept. 23, 1954 F. J. BAYLEY l0 Sheets-Sheet l Aug. 6, 1957 F. J. BAYLEY v 2,801,573

AUTOMATIC MACHINE FOR ASSEMBLING CARTONS FROM BLANKS Filed Sept. 23, 1954 10 Sheets-Sheet 2 Aug. 6, 1957 F. J. BAYLEY 2,301,578

AUTOMATIC MACHINE FOR ASSEMBLING CARTONS FROM BLANKS Filed Sept. 23, 1954 v Y 1o Sheets-Shem s Aug. 6, 1957 F. J. BAYLEY 2,801,578

AUTOMATIC MACHINE FOR ASSEMBLING CARTONS FROM BLANKS Filed Sept. 23, 1954 I 10 Sheets-Sheet. 4

Aug. 6, 1957 F. J. BAY LEY 2,801,578

AUTOMATIC MACHINE FOR ASSEMBLING CARTON'S FROM BLANKS Filed Sept. 25, 19 54 10 Shets-Sheet 5 --Aug. 6, 1957 F. J. BAVYLEY 2,801,578

AUTOMATIC MACHINE FOR ASSEMBLING CARTONS FROM BLANKS Filed Sept. 23, 1954 l0 Sheets-Sheet 6' j 1w E \80 me n gk L FIG 8.

Aug. 6, 1957 F. J; BAYLEY 2,301,578

AUTOMATIC MACHINE FOR ASSEMBLING CARTONS FROM BLANKS Filed Sept. 25, 1954 7 1o Sheets-Sheet 7 F. J. BAYLEY Aug. 6, 1957 2,801,578 AUTOMATIC MACHINE FOR ASSEMBLING CARTONS FROM BLANKS Filed: Sept. 25, 1954 10 Sheets-Sheet 9 FIG. 12.

iwu a E4747 5' 5% w flz- Aug. 6, 1957 F. J. BAYLEY 2,801,578

AUTOMATIC momma FOR ASSEMBLING CARTONS FROM BLANKS Filed Sept. 25, 1954 1o Shets-Sheet 1o W W 325* M Q Q/LW AUTUMATHC MAKIHENE FQR AfiiglEM'iihlNG CARTON FRUlt ll ELANKS Frederick Flames Eayley, Potters Bar, England, assignor to Pembroke Carton and Printing tjompany Limited, Loin don, England, a company of Great Britain Application September 2.3, 1954, Serial No. 4519M? 2c, filaizns. (Ql. 93-39) This invention relates to the manufacture of cartons of the type which are made up from two blanks, referred to in the trade respectively as the box and the band, the box portion in the finished article providing a bottom, top and one side of the carton, while the band portion forms the other three sides of the carton being united to the box portion by gluing or in certain sizes by stapling the two sides of the band portion to glue-flaps on the box portion.

Previously it has been the practice in making up these cartons to carry out the gluing operation by hand, which unless the labour force is considerable curtails production.

The type of carton with which the present invention is particularly concerned is commonly used in packaging chocolates and other sweetmeats in fivlb. and /2-lb. packs, and since these cartons frequently contain printed matter on the outside, considerable accuracy is required by the person carrying out the gluing operation to ensure that the band and box are accurately positioned so that the printing matter on the exterior is correctly registered.

The object of the present invention is to provide a machine capable of automatically assembling by gluing the blanks to make up the carton. A further object of the invention'is to eliminate the stapling operation and to unite the blank forming the band to the box by adhesive applied between what is known as the glue-flaps on the box portion and the matching ends of the band.

According to the present invention, an automatic machine for use in the manufacture of a four-sided carton from two separate blanks, one of which is provided with tongues called glue-flaps by means of which it is united to two opposite sides of the other blank, comprises means for advancing blanks singly from separate piles or magazines containing the same to an assembly position where each blank is held in spaced relation and in parallelism with its component blank by a table or other supporting means, means for applying adhesive to said glue-flaps on the one blank prior to arrival at the assembly position, means operating to depress two sides of the other blank on its arrival in assembly position into engagement with the adhesive bearing faces of the flaps of the first blank and to apply the necessary pressure thereto to cause adhesion.

According to a further feature of the invention, the table or other support means or a part of it by which the blanks are maintained in spaced relation during the gluing operation is capable of displacement to-and-from a carton release position so that, when the two blanks have been united to one another, the table can be partially collapsed or withdrawn to free the carton and enable it to be removed by conveyor mechanism.

In the assembly position the blanks may conveniently be aligned one above the other with the box portion undermost, and in order to ensure that the blanks are in correct alignment for the gluing operation, preferably stop elements are provided for engagement with the leading edge of each blank, said stop elements operating to arrest the motion in one direction of the blanks.

By arranging for the blanks in the assembly position 2,801,578 Patented Aug. 6, 1957 to be superimposed one above the other with that side of the band portion above its opposite side of the box portion, which forms the back of the carton to which the lid is hinged, it automatically ensures the required parallelism between the back and front sides and consequently of the two ends of the band, which fold downwardly and, when united to the flaps of the box portion, constitute the outer sides or ends of the carton.

For this purpose the table may include an upper plat form, on which the blank forming the band is received when in the assembly position so that it is vertically above the blank forming the box portion. Side flanks or cheeks extend between the table proper and the upper platform to provide a support for the glue-flaps and against which the sides of the band are pressed.

The stop elements can then be utilised to secure alignment in a plane at right angles, and for this purpose are arranged to be capable of displacement into and out of the path of the blanks as they are advanced to assembly positions.

Finger elements may be provided to co-operate with the stop elements with the object of ensuring a positive movement of the blanks into engagementwith the stop elements. f 2

The blanks may be advanced singly from each pile or magazine by conveyor belts mounted on rollers, and preferably the magazines into which the blanks are fed by hand in bulk are so arranged that the blanks are extracted one by one from the bottom of the magazine. Extraction of the blanks may be by means of a suction device, one such suction device being provided for each magazine and operated in timed relation with each other to extract and advance the blanks. Each suction device may comprise one or more nozzles, the nozzles, when more than one is required being arranged to operate in groups of two or three, according to the size of the blank, and mounted to have a combined rising and falling and toand-from oscillatory motion so as to swing into and out of position below the magazine containing the blanks.

For convenience when loading the magazine with blanks and in order to reduce friction in removing the blank from the pile, it is preferred to set each magazine, and thus the blanks therein, at an angle to the plane of advancement so that the initial operation of the suction nozzle or nozzles will be to draw the blank in a downwards direction causing the leading edge to separate from the pile, thereby reducing friction between the contiguous faces of the undermost blank and the next to be removed to a minimum.

Having separated a blank from the bottom of the pile, the nozzle with the blank adhering thereto is caused to swing forwardly and carry the blank to a position where its leading edge is engaged between ecu-operating feed rollers and/ or conveyor bands mounted on guide rollers.

The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings in which:

Figure l is a diagrammatic view in side elevation illustrating an automatic machine for assembling cartons from blanks in accordance with the invention; 1

Figure 2 is a perspective view showing the two blanks referred to as the box and the band isthe assembled position with the glue-flaps on the box blank bent upwardly to receive the matching ends ofthe band;

Figure 3 is a side elevation showing the rear (start) end of the machine including the magazine for the box blanks and feed mechanism for advancing the blanks to the assembly point;

Figure 4 is a side elevation showing the forward end of the machine including the magazine for the band blanks, the assembly table and conveyor mechanism by which the completed boxes are carried away and flattened for stacking; i

Figure is a plan view showing the rear end of the machine with the upper conveyor band and support frame therefor removed;

Figure 6 is an enlarged vertical section of the assembly table and 'showingthe discharge conveyor and mechanism bywhich it is periodically brought into operation; Figure 7 is a half section and plan view showing the suction feed for the band blanks and mechanism for ad vancing the 'box blanks to the assembly position; the section view being taken on the line VII-VH of Fig. 4.

Figures 8 and 9 are transverse sections on the lines VIIIVIII and IXIX of Figure 4;

Figure is a detail view from one end of the central conveyor band and adjusting mechanism therefor;

Figure 11 is a front sectional view showing the mechanisrn which performs the operation of pressing the sides of the blank constituting the band into engagement with the glue-flaps on the blank forming the box;

Figure 11a is a diagrammatic showing in perspective of the mechanism of Figure 11 together with the assembly stationand adhesive applying members;

' Figure 12 is a sectional view on the line XlIXII of Figure 11;

Figure 13 is a side elevation corresponding to Figure 11; and

Figures 14 and are enlarged diagrammatic showings, Figure 14 being a sideelevation and Figure 15 an end ,on view of the suction mechanism as described in connection with Figure 3.

In Figure 2 of the drawings there is shown a box carton made up from two blanks A and B, the blank A being referred to as the box and B the band. Projecting laterally from each side of the blank A are glue-flaps G, which are bent up at right angles to the plane of the blank to receive the sides S of the band B and secured thereto by gluing, which operation in the machine according to this invention is performed automatically.

Referring now to Figure 1 the machine of this invention essentially comprises a magazine M for the box blanks A and a second magazine N for the blanks constituting the bands B. H indicates an assembly head including a table T on which can be seen the blank A with the glue-flaps G bent up in position to receive the sides of the band B.

GENERAL OPERATION Blanks from the magazine M are detached one by one from the bottom of the pile by means of a suction device indicated at C, to which is imparted an up-and-down and to-and-fro movement in a horizontal plane so that the detached blank having been removed from the bottom of the pile is carried forward by the sucker head to a pair of take-over rollers D between which the blank is gripped and advanced to upper and lower conveyor belts indicated generally at E and F.

On passing from the conveyor belts E and F, the blank moves forwardly on to the table H, this last movement being completed by pusher fingers P when the forward end of the blank is arrested by engagement with stops K, these stops being caused alternately to rise and fall to arrest the blank and to release the completed box following the gluing.

Blanks from the second magazine N are withdrawn therefrom by a suction device I, which likewise receives an up and down movement and operates in conjunction with a feed arm L, in order successively to detach the blanks from the bottom of the pile in the magazine and to place them upon a shelf or upper portion 0 of the table T. When in position on the shelf 0 a pressure plate Y comes into operation to hold the blank to enable folding levers R (see Fig. 11) carried by a bridge member U (see Fig. 11) to descend to fold the sides S of the band downwardly into position where they overlie the glueflaps G. Just previous to this operation glue is applied to the glue-flaps by a gluing mechanism.

Referring now to Figures 3 and 5 of the drawings there is shown a machine frame, indicated generally at 13, supported by uprights.

Magazines At the rear end thereof, which is to the left, as seen in Figure 3, is the magazine M for the box blanks. The magazine M is in two portions each comprising a base 1 with sides 2 and an open front 3 and for convenience in loading blanks therein is set at an incline to the horizontal. As shown in Figure 3 the two portions of the magazine are supported by arms 4 adjustably secured by bolts 5 to the machine bed the latter passing through slots in the arms. 6 is a steady bracket.

Each arm has an enlarged end 7, in which is a vertical slot 8 to receive a fixing stud 9, by which the two halves of the magazine are secured so as to permit adjustment of the angle of inclination of the magazine and thus of the angle, at which the lowermost blank in the pile in the magazine is presented to the plane of advance of the blanks (indicated by arrow X.) and below which plane are mounted various feed rollers and conveyors.

The second magazine in which the other blanks forming the bands are piled is shown at N.

"B0x blank feed Extraction of the lowermost blank in the pile is by means of a suction nozzle device C (see also Figures 14 and 15) which comprises a short rigid tube section 10 telescopically carried within a hollow post or sleeve 12 fast on one end of a slide 14, the slide 14 being slidable to and fro in the direction of advance of the blanks between guides 14 on the bed of the machine frame 13 as hereinafter described.

The tube section 10 terminates in a suction head 11 adapted to make suction contact with the underside of the lowermost blank in the pile in the magazine and against the upper face 11 of which the blank is drawn when suction is applied via the tube 10.

It should be understood that for normal sizes of carton a single suction head and slide 14 is sufficient being located on the centre line of advance, although, when handling large sized cartons, it may be found that more than one suction head is necessary. For this purpose the arms 4 are laterally adjustable as permitted by the steady guide 6 to accommodate different sizes of blanks and obviously the fact that the magazine M is in two portions enables them to be closed in or further separated one from the other by means of suitable distance members 2' (Figure 5).

The slide 14, is itself mounted for to-and-fro sliding movement in guides 14' of which there are two, one on each side, and extending in the longitudinal direction parallel to the direction of advance of the conveyors. Fast on the other end of the slide 14 is a bracket or brackets 16in which is carried a pivot pin 17 for mounting forwardly extending lever arms 18. Studs 20 are secured at their inner ends to the suction head 11. and extend through diametrically opposite vertical slots 21 in the tube section It), the studs 20 being journalled at their outer ends in the arms 18. It will be obvious therefore that the suction head and nozzle 11 is supported by means of the lever arms 18 for vertical up and down movement in relation to the slide 14. The rise and fall of the nozzle 11 is controlled by a cam 25 fast on a cam shaft 25 and on which runs a roller 26 on a depending limb 18 (Figure 3) of the lever arms 18. To-and-fro movement is imparted to the slide 14 by a second cam 14 fast on the cam shaft 25 which engages with the roller 26.

The lower end of the suction head 11 is connected by a length of flexible piping 27 to a source of vacuum so that the necessary suction can be applied through the noozle 11 to the blank to be removed from the pile.

Control of the suction is by means of a rotary valve (not shown) which also controls the suction to the nozzle associated with mechanism for advancing the blanks constituting the band as will hereinafter be described. In operation the suction is on as the nozzle 11 rises to engage the underside of the blank and remains in this condition, i. e. on, as the nozzle falls. On completion of the downwards movement, the plate 14 starts to move forwardly in the direction of the arrow x so as to cause the blank to move into engagement with the take over rollers D by which it is advanced to the conveyors E, F that carry it forwardly to the assembly position on the platform the suction being released dur ing the return movement of the nozzle.

To prevent the suction effect being transmitted to the next blank at the bottom of the pile, a finger element 30 (see Figure 14-) having a toe 31 is swung into engagement with the pile. Movement of the finger element is controlled by a third cam 29 fast on the cam shaft 25' and with which cam 29 engages a roller 32 carried by a one arm lever 33 fulcrumed at 34 to a stud carried by a bracket 36 fast on the machine bed. Pivotally secured to the forward end of the lever 33 is one end 37 of a two part vertically operating link, the other part 38 of which is pivotally secured to a short arm lever 39 fast on a rock shaft it). It will be seen that the two parts 37, 38 of the link are interconnected by a pin and slot connection 41 so as to permit of relative adjustment and thus of the throw of the finger element 3% Intermediate feed rollers and conveyors A super-structure including side plates 42 is provided on the machine bed, the two side plates of which provide mountings for the two rollers forming the take-over roller unit D and the conveyor belts E and F by which the blank extracted from the pile in the mechanism M is advanced to the assembly table H. The take-over roller unit D comprises spaced large upper rollers 45, 45' (see Fig. 5) cooperating with an idler roller located beneath the plane of advance. Fast on the spindle 47 of the driving roller 45 is a pinion 48 which is in constant mesh with an intermediate pinion 49 itself meshing with a pinion 50 which takes its drive from a main transverse driving shaft 52. The shaft 52 is provided on its outer end with a driving pulley 53 driven by a belt drive 3 5 from an electric motor or other source of power (not shown).

As can be seen from Figure 5 and Figure there is provided a set of three conveyor belts below the blank comprising two support belts 55, 56 and a central belt 57. The central belt 57 is positively operating in that it co-operates with a single upper conveyor belt 59. The lower set of conveyor belts, 56, 57, 55 are each mounted on a series of idler rollers indicated generally at 6% and at their forward ends on a driving roller 61 which is fast on an auxiliary transverse shaft 43. Provision is made to adjust the tension of the belts 56, 57, 55 by a jockey pulley 57' (Fig. 3) carried on a screw adjustable bracket. The central and upper conveyor belt 59 is supported between a pair of side support plates 65, 65' (see Fig. 19) which are mounted to hinge at the incoming end of the belts about a transverse shaft 66 carrying the driving roller 67 for the conveyor belt 59. The horizontal run of the belt 59 is controlled by a series of idler rollers 68 including a front roller, and on the return run between the front and rear rollers the belt is passed over two jockey rollers '76 and an intermediate adjustable roller 71 (see also Figure 10) in order to enable the tension in the belt to be adjusted. Adjustment of the roller "71 is by means of a screwed spindle '72 carried by a bridge piece '73 secured to the support plates 65, 65', the screwed spindle 72 having a wing nut 72 and a lock nut 74. The support plates 65, 65 are provided with vertical slots '75 in which the outer ends of the shaft mounting the adjusting roller 71 is slidable.

Provision is made to adjust the pressure of the belt 59 and for this purpose the support plates 65, 65' can be raised or lowered about their fulcrum 66 by means of screw adjusting mechanism indicated generally at 77 (Figure 3).

. Band blank feed Referring now to Figures l and 7-9 the blanks B forming the band are extracted from the second magazine N by a suction nozzle device 1 similar to the device C used to withdraw the box blanks A from the magazine M.

Secured to the machine bed 1 is a second and detachable superstructure comprising side blocks 80 supporting the magazine N. and the suction device I and operating mechanism therefor, by which the suction heads, of which there are two indicated at 22, are caused to rise and fall and to receive a to-and-fro horizontal motion so that having extracted a blank constituting the band from the magazine N the band will be advanced to the assembly position.

The magazine N comprises a vertical box shaped chute the front and rear walls of which are indicated at 81 and 82.

Each suction device I comprises a block 84 secured between the forward ends of pairs of elongated L-shaped lever arms 88 the arms 88 being (Figures 7 and 9) mounted to pivot about a stud 86' on a bracket 86 carried by a slide 28 which is slidable in guides 80 fast on the block 80 as can be seen from Figure 9.

Motion is imparted to the slide 28 by a rotating cam plate 93 fast on a cam shaft 94 (Figure 4), which cam shaft 94, as hereafter described, is driven through a series of pinions 101, 98, 103 and 104. On the cam shaft 94 the cam member 93, said member 93 being adapted once on each revolution of shaft 94 and of shaft 90 (both shafts being geared to rotate at the same speeds) to engage a roller 93 on the slide 28.

At their forward ends the lever arms 88 come to rest in their lower position in circumferential grooves (Figure 9) formed on bushes 89 freely mounted on the cam shaft 90. Also fast on the cam shaft 90 is a cam plate 23 engaging a roller 24 fast, on a laterally projecting pin carried by the arms 88.

There are also provided horizontally reciprocating fingers 97 having upturned ends adapted to engage the rear edge of the band when the latter has passed between the rollers 95, 96. Movement of the fingers: 97 is controlled by a second cam 100 fast on acam shaft 99, the cam shaft 99 having a pinion 98 fast thereon which meshes with an intermediate pinion 101 for transmittting drive to a pinion 162 fast on the first cam shaft 94, by which the lever arms 88 through the intermediary of cam 93 are advanced, spring means (not shown) being provided to ensure the return motion. A second pinion 103 in mesh with 98 is in driving connection with a pinion 104 on the shaft 90.

In order to ensure that the blanks are extracted singly from the magazine N and to prevent the possibility of two bands being removed simultaneously, there is preferably provided mechanical means of separating'the lowermost blank in the pile by subjecting the pile to a squeezing action.

In the flat (stacked) position int he magazine N, the end parts lie in a horizontal plane and present two rearward longitudinally extending edges 160' and 160".

As can be seen from Figure 2 the band B comprises a comparatively narrow strip which represents the depth of the carton having enlarged ends 160. A shelf 111 (see also Fig. 8) which extends below the open end of the magazine N is provided at each side of the magazine with a fixed lug 161 (Figure 8) and cooperating with each fixed lug is a movable lug 162. The lug 162 forms part of a plate 163 slidably fixed by means of a pin and slot connection indicated at 164 to the shelf 111. The fixed and moving lugs 161, 162 extend in a longitudinal direction and are spaced apart to be in alignment with the suction device 8884- and verticallyabove the shaft 90 on which the sleeves 89 mounting thecups for the suction nozzles 84 are mounted. The distance, measured transversely, between the fixed and moving lugs 161, 162 is so arranged that it is slightly greater than the width of the parts 160 between the edges 160.

Fast on the shaft 90 are cams 165 having a cam flange 166 for cooperation with a roller 167 fast on a pin 163 carried by the slidable plate 163 (see Figure 8). It follows therefore that once for each rotation of the shaft 90 the rising face 166 of the cam 165 will force the plates 163 inwardly towards the fixed lugs 161 with the result that a squeezing action will be applied to the enlarged ends 160 of the blank because the moving lugs 162 will engage the edge 160" and press the other edge 160' against the fixed lug 161. As a result the blanks at the bottom of the pile in the magazine will separate in a manner somewhat similar to that of a pack of cards when gripped between the fingers as when shuffling the same. This will ensure that suction applied by the nozzles is "effective only on the lowermost blank since the pressure on the opposite face of the blank will be atmospheric.

In its advance to the assembly position the box blank A is subjected to the action of means adapted to engage the glue-flaps -G to bend them upwardly to an angle at right angles to the plane of the blank (see Figure 2) so that when the blank arrivesat the assembly position where i it is held flat on 'a table 110, the glue-flaps will stand upright and in a position to receive a coating of adhesive material. The bending operation is performed by cooperating folding plates 150, shown diagrammatically in Figure 3, of which there are two pairs arranged one the uppermost plate having an overhanging edge beneath which the flap is turned until it is completely folded flat against that part of the blank constituting the side of the finished carton. On leaving the folding plates, the flaps are passed between ironing rollers 235.

Gluing mechanism Provision is made to apply a coating of adhesive glue to the flaps just prior to or on arrival at the assembly position. trated the gluing operation takes place when the blank has passed the ironing rollers and prior to arrival at the assembly position.

When the flap emerges from the ironing rollers, the inherent resiliency of the material causes it to spring back to the upright position at right angles to the plane of the side or back of the carton and it then passes between vertical guide blades 130, 130 to maintain it in this position. When in this position it is subjected to the action of a wiper device which includes horizontally operating rollers 151, 151 (see Figures 7 and 9) for applying a coating of glue to the outer surface of each flap as will hereinafter be explained.

main drive shaft. Drive is taken from the other end of the spindle 156 through bevel gearing 157' to a short vertical spindle 158 mounting the glue applying disc 151, or 151'.

It will be seen from Figure 7 that the discs 151, 151' Conveniently and in the embodiment illusare cut away so that only a short sector of the periphery Will contact the gluing discs 155. It follows therefore that once for every complete rotation of the discs 151, 151, the sector of larger radius will rub against the gluefiaps G to apply a coating of glue thereto.

Assembly table As can be seen from Figures 6 and 11, the assembly table T comprises the lower plate constituting the table proper upon which the blank A forming the box is received and an upper part hereinafter termed the platform or shelf 111 onto which the second blank B forming the band is advanced by the feed rollers Q5, 96. The shelf 111 is provided with a forwardly extending extension or lip 112 which normally remains in parallel alignment with the table 11% but is capable of being withdrawn as represented by the chain line 112 in Figure 4 in order to facilitate release of the completed carton following the gluing operation and to enable the carton to be removed by means of the discharge conveyor bands V.

In order to secure vertical alignment between the two blanks, which have respectively been advanced to positions one above the other, the band on the shelf 111, 112 and the box on the table 110, stop elements are provided. One stop element 125 locates the box blank and another element 132 the band blank.

in the case of the box blank A, the blank on issuing from the two sets of conveyors 55, 56, 57 and 59 is engaged by a finger mechanism including transversely spaced fingers 115, each finger being part of a plate, which is adjustably secured by screw studs 117 to a reciprocating bracket 118, the bracket 118 having slots 119 for engagement with studs 120 fast on the machine frame. It will be seen that the slots 119 have an upwardly inclined portion so that movement of the bracket 118 will cause the slots to ride up the studs 120 until the latter enter the horizontal portions of the slots when the bracket, together with the fingers 115, will move forwards with the fingers 115 in a position above the plane of the advancing box blank A to engage its rear edge and carry the box blank A forward into the assembly position where it is arrested by a stop blade 125, which has been positioned in its path and subsequently withdrawn this operation being brought about by a cam 231 fast on a cam shaft 216.

The cam shaft 216 serves a double purpose. Firstly it controls the action of one of two conveyor bands, as hereinafter described, to remove the finished carton from the assembly position. Secondly it actuates the stop element 125. Stop is on a plate secured to a rocker plate 236 anchored at one end to rock about a centre 237 and having a depending leg which rests in engagement with the cam 231 fast on shaft 216. it will be seen therefore that the rocker plate 236 will rise and fall with rotation of cam 231 and hence move stop element 125 into and out of the path of the advancing blank.

Each bracket 118 has a downwardly depending portion 126 carrying a roller 127 for engagement with a cam 128 fast on a shaft 129. Rotation of the cam 128 will therefore produce displacement of the bracket 118 to perform the operation just described.

During this last movement of the blank A the glue-flaps G which, as previously explained, have been bent up out of the plane of the blank into a position at right angles thereto, pass between the spaced pairs of guide blades 139, 130 in order to hold them upright.

As previously explained, the blank B forming the band is advanced by fingers 97 (Figure 4), which fingers form part of bracket plates 118' similar in construction and operation to the bracket plates 118, the bracket plates 118 being controlled by the cams 1% on shaft 99 (see also Fig. 7). Forward movement of the blank B is arrested by a lip 132 (see Figs. 6 and 7) carried on one arm 133 of a two-arm lever having a. fulcrum 134 and the other arm 135 of which carries a roller cooperating with one of three cams 137, 138 and 139 fast on a cam shaft 140. As canplainly be seen from Figure 6, once for every rotation of the cam shaft 140, the .cam 137 will strike the roller on the lever 135 in order to produce displacement of the other arm 133 and thus withdraw the lip 132 to a position where it is below the extension 112 of the shelf 111.

Electrical contacts (not shown) may be provided on the outer end of lip 112 forming parts of a short circuit for tripping the motor drive, completion of the circuit being effected by metal to metal contact of the presser plate on the contacts.

It follows that should the blank B be missing or in the event of it being received in the assembly position, improperly aligned, i. e. with its forward edge at an angle, when the presser plate 175 descends it Will complete the short circuit to arrest the machine.

Just after withdrawal of the lip 132 the cam 13% comes into operation to release the extension 112 of the shelf 111 as will now be explained. Atttached to the underside of the shelf 112 is a leg 142 to which is pivotally secured a thrust rod 143 slidably mounted in a bracket 14 i. Mounted on the rod-143 is a compression spring 145, one end of which bears against the bracket 144 and the other against a collar on the rod. Thus the spring normally urges the rod 143 in the direction of the arrow Y where a roller 147 presses against the cam 139.

It will be seen thatthe lower end of the leg 142 has a roller 142 which rides on a block 158, the surface of which drops at one end with the result that when the rod 143 moves to the left the leg 142 will ride down the slope to the bottom end. When extension lip 112 falls the carton is virtually supported solely by its lower side resting on the table part 116] so that it can readily be removed by the conveyors V.

Box side folding mechanism It will be understood that when the blank A is in position on the assembly table 110 it lies flat against the table with the two glue-flaps, to which a coating of glue has just been applied, projecting upwardly as can be seen from Figures 9 and 11, in which position it is ready to receive the opposite ends of the band blank B.

The particular blank forming the band on arrival at the assembly position on the shelf 111 is flat from end to end and it is necessary to depress the two end pieces 156 including the flaps 169 of the band until engagement is made with the upstanding glue-flaps of the box portion, which flaps are positioned against the side Walls of the box forming table.

For this purpose there are provided folding levers 13-9 (see Figure 11) and associated with each lever is an ear plate 192 which, as will now be described, moves downwardly to engage the projecting ends 156 of the blank in order to bend the latter downwardly and bring them into contact with the glue flaps.

Referring now to Figures 11, 12 and 13 of the drawings, 170 indicates one of two vertical guide rods for a bridge member indicated generally at 171. This bridge member 1'71 may consist of a hollow casting having machined holes to receive liners 172 which are a sliding fit on guide rods 170 secured at their lower ends to pedestals 173 fast on the machine frame.

.Up and down movement of the bridge 171 is controlled by connecting rods 174 at each side thereof and driven from a cam (not shown), and it is by means of this bridge that the pressure is brought to bear on the sides 156 of the blank constituting the band, in order to bend said sides 156 downwardly and against the glued flap G of the box portion.

Retractably mounted on the underside of the bridge is a pressure plate 175 having upstanding guide rods 176 which are slidable through holes in a bridge plate 182,

the rods 176 terminating in shouldered ends 177 which limit by engagement with bridge plate 182 the downwards ..movement of the pressure plate 175 under the action of a compression spring 179 mounted on a guide bar 178 10 extending through holes 180180 respectively in the main bridge member 171 and the bridge plate 182. Likewise the bridge plate 182 is itself capable of limited displacement in relation to the main bridge 171.

For this purpose the bridge plate 182 is itself provided with guide rods 183 which extend through guide holes 181 in the lower part of the bridge 171, springs 185 being mounted on the guide rods 183 for engagement with collars 137 so that in the normal position of the parts, before the bridge descends to complete the bending and gluing operation, the bridge plate 182 remains spaced apart from the member 171, thereby providing a lost motion between the bridge plate 182 and the main bridge member 171.

On the underside of the bridge member 171 are brackets 188, each bracket having a pivoted folding lever 189, which, as can be seen, comprises two plates of inverted V shape, between which is mounted a cam roller 191. 19% is a stop block for cooperation with an adjustable set screw 1%. Fast on the guide rods 170 are seating blocks 197, to which are secured adjustable carn tracks 1%, adjustment being by means of screw pins 199 and finger nuts 199.

Associated with each folding lever 139 is the ear plate 192 which plate is mounted to pivot about a centre 193 on the ends of the bridge plate 1&2, the folding levers and their respective ear plates being maintained in the position shown by a single tension or return spring (not shown) anchored at its ends to lever arms fast on a hub element 196 mounting the plates 192. It follows that the ear plates 192 and the folding levers by which they are actuated remain in the raised position shown, where they are inoperative.

On a downward movement of the main bridge 171, however, both the folding levers and their associated ear plates will descend with it and, during this movement, the cam roller 191 will engage the cam track 198 (see Figure 11a) causing the former to move inwardly, carrying with it the ear plate 192.

On descent of the bridge 171, the presser plate 175 will descend with it and move into engagement with that side of the band B resting on the shelf 1111, continued movement of the bridge being possible since the rods 176 are free to pass through holes 171 in the lower face of the bridge 171, this movement taking place against the action of spring 179.

During this time the sides S of the Band B will be folded inwardly due to the initial downward movement of the ear plates 192.

By reason of the fact that the pivotal centres 193 of the ear plates 192 are in a plane slightly above that of their actuating levers 189, the car plates 192 will reach their final and operative position where no further movement of the latter in a downwards direction is possible, at which time the sides are bent downwardly but still remain at a slight angle to the vertical, where their ends remain out of contact with the glue flaps G. However as explained below their angular movement, caused by the actuating levers 181 9, is not complete until further downward movement of the centres 183' of levers 139 takes place.

Because of the lost motion connection between bridge plate 182 and the main bridge 171, the lugs 138 will descend to a point below the centres 1&3 until this motion is taken up and the bridge member 171 is arrested by engagement with the bridge plate 182. During this continued downward movement of the bridge 171, the rollers 191 will ride still further along the cam track 198 to complete the squeezing operation and force the sides S into contact with the glue flaps. Side plates or cheekslltl are carried by the table and it is against these cheeks that the ear plates 192 are pressed during the latter operation, due to the thrust exerted by the folding levers 181 so as to engage the box sides 156 and press them against the glued faces of the glue-flaps on the box blank A.

As described above, the platform for the band in the assembly position is provided by the shelf 111 having at its forward edge a withdrawable shelf 112, which constitutes the platform proper and is hinged to swing about a horizontal transverse axis on the shelf 111; forward movement of the blank constituting the band portion on the platform is limited by the stop 132.

It can be seen from Figures 3, 6 and 7 that both sets of conveyors E, F and V respectively for advancing blanks to the assembly position and removing the carton on completion of the gluing operation are mounted to operate in the same horizontal plane as that of the assembly table 110, which is cut away to accommodate the conveyor bands.

On completion of the gluing operation, it will be appreciated that the two lower edges of the side cheeks 110 plus the table support 110, together with the lip 112 form a four-sided support about which the carton is a close fit. In order therefore to facilitate the withdrawing action of the carton by the conveyors, the shelf extension or lip 112 is depressed or withdrawn to a position where it is no longer in contact with the adjacent side of the carton. It follows therefore that the carton can easily be withdrawn, as there is no longer any friction between its supporting frame and the inside faces of the carton. The mechanism by which the extension 112 of the assembly platform 111 is depressed has already been described but briefly it is by means of the thrustbar 143 and second cam 139 mounted upon the cam shaft 140.

It will be understood that the timing of the three cams 137, 138, 139 on the cam shaft 140 is so arranged that it is in step with the operation of the following levers 189 so that on completion of the folding operation by means of the ear plates 192 the cam 139 operates to depress the extension 112 of the platform.

Carton discharge Referring to Figs. 4 and 6 discharge of the completed carton is by means of upper and lower spaced conveyor bands, the lower conveyor band comprising an endless band 21% supported at its trailing end by a roller 211 mounted to rotate about a fixed centre. At its other end the band is passed round an idler roller 212 carried by a lever arm 213 itself mounted to rock about the axis of the roller 211 and having a depending arm 214 provided with a cam roller 215 for engagement with a cam 216 on the cam shaft 216;

Thus once in each revolution of the cam shaft 216 mounting the cam 216, the lever arm 213 will lift and carry with it the conveyor band 211) in order to raise the latter to a position where it coincides with the plane of the support table 110 and thus the underside of the carton.

Cooperating with the lower conveyor band 210 is an upper conveyor band 218 which normally runs in a path above the plane of the table 110 as shown in Figure 6. At its trailing or discharge end the band is supported by a driven roller 219 the axis of which is in vertical alignment with that of the roller 211. At its other end, the band 218 passes round a fixed driving roller 220. Pivoted to rock about the axis of rotation of the roller 220 is a two-armed lever, one arm 221 of which supports a jockey roller 222 and the other arm 223 of which has an offset end and carries a cam roller 224 for engagement with the cam 138.

It will be seen that on rotation of the cam shaft 140 which operates in timed relation with the cam shaft 216 for the lower conveyor band 210, a displacement of the arm 223 will be produced thus causing the roller arm 221 carrying the jockey roller 222 to be moved downwardly. This will bring about a displacement of the lower half of the run of the conveyor band when it will engage the inside of the carton and in conjunction with the band 210 remove it. The operative face of the cams 216 and 138 is such 7 that they cause cooperation between their respective conveyor bands for a period sufficient to effect the removal of the carton and following this the conveyor bands are allowed to move to the inoperative position as shown in Figure 6.

Situated beyond the end of the conveyor bands 210, 218 is a flattening device in the form of a conveyor band 230 (Fig. 4) which is twisted at right angles, one end passing over a pulley 232 at right angles to an adjustable pulley, the latter having a horizontal axis. The purpose of this band is to permit pressure to be applied to one side of the band 156 by means of which the carton is caused to collapse to a flat condition for the purpose of packing.

Interchangeability In order to change over from one size of carton to another it is possible, as already explained, to interchange or adjust magazine M for the box blanks. Adjustment is made possible by means of the spacing collars 2', 2, which enables the side walls 2, 2 to be closed up or spaced further apart from each other. Provision is made to vary the operative width of the lower set of conveyor belts 55, 56 and 57 by adjusting the two outer belts 55, 56 laterally inwards or outwards. For this purpose the end support rollers and the idler rollers 60 are shifted on the spindles 60' (see Figure 5) by means of screw winding or other adjusting mechanism.

It will be appreciated that any increase in the width of the carton may entail a relative increase in the breadth which will effect the distance separating the shelf 111 and its extension 112 from the support table 110. To accommodate this change in dimension, the superstructure unit is replaced by another giving the required spacing between the shelf 111 and table 110.

For this purpose the superstructure which embodies the magazine N, suction device I and feed for the blanks constituting the bands together with the shelf 111 is releasably secured to the machine frame 13 (Figs. 3 and 7). As shown in Figures 4, 5 and 7 the entire superstructure can be removed simply by slackening off the six nuts 234 and fitting a new bridge member 171 which entails removing the nuts 242 (Figure 11) at the top of the posts having first unscrewed the check screws 243 to permit of withdrawal of the screw studs 244.

What is claimed is:

l. A machine for use in assembling blanks to form a four-sided carton in which each blank has a side and two end flaps, said flaps being united to one another to form two opposite sides by means of a bending and gluing operation, comprising magazines in which the blanks to be united are stacked flat one above the other, an assembly station defined by means adapted to support a blank drawn from each magazine in spaced relation one to the other and with the flaps in overlapping engagement prior to completion of the gluing operation, means for extracting blanks successively one at a time from each pile, and conveying the extracted blanks to their respective positions at the assembly station, a device by which the flaps on at least one of the blanks are bent in a plane at right angles to the main portion of the blank, members located in the path of one of said blanks for applying adhesive material to the flaps thereof, and presser devices operated in timed relation with the adhesive applying members by which pressure is applied to the two sets of flaps to complete the gluing operation.

2. In a machine for use in assembling blanks to form a four-sided carton, in which each blank has a side and two end flaps, said flaps being united to one another to form two opposite sides by a folding and gluing operation, the combination of magazines to receive the blanks to be united and in which they are stacked one above the other, an assembly station defined by means adapted to support two blanks, one drawn from each magazine, in spaced relation and with the flaps in overlapping relation prior to 5 completion of the gluing operation, suction operating means by which a blank, which is next in the pile, can be withdrawn from each magazine each of said means being normally inoperative but capable of movement into and out of operative position and adapted on engagement with the outer blank in the pile to extract it by means of suction, blank advancing means arranged to receive the extracted blank and to advance it to the assembly position, a device by which the flaps on one blank, in its passage from the magazine to assembly position, are bent in planes at an angle to the side of the blank, members located in the path of one of the oncoming blanks for applying adhesive to the flaps, and presser devices adapted to secure engagement between the flaps of both blanks to complete the gluing operation.

3. The combination claimed in claim 2 in which the flaps on one blank are bent to an angle at right angles to the side of the blank and in this position contact is made with the adhesive applying members and the presser devices are arranged for movement into engagement with the flaps of the other blank by means of which they are folded and applied against the glued faces of the flaps of the first blank.

4. A machine as claimed in claim 2 wherein the suction operating means comprises a suction nozzle for engagement with a blank, a sleeve element in which said suction nozzle is telescopically mounted and cam operated means for raising and lowering the suction nozzle into and out of its operative position.

5. A machine as claimed in claim 4 in which the sleeve element supporting the suction nozzle is attached to a slide supported for movement in a substantially horizontal plane and means is provided for causing a displacement of said slide in a direction to advance the blank engaged by the suction nozzle in a direction towards the assembly station.

6. A machine as claimed in claim 2 wherein blank control separating means is provided for movementinto and out of engagement with the last blank in the pile to prevent more than one blank being detached therefrom at a time.

7. A machine as claimed in claim 6 in which said blank control separating means comprises a normally inoperative lever arm having a foot adapted to penetrate the pile from one side and means for causing movement of said arm into and out of operative position and actuated in timed relation with the suction nozzle to retain the remaining blanks against displacement due to suction.

8. A machine as claimed in claim 6 in which said blank adapted to move into and out of engagement with the pile of blanks and to subject it to a squeezing action in order to cause separation of the outermost blanks in the pile so that suction pressure is efiective only on the last blank in the pile.

9. In a machine for use in assembling blanks to form a four-sided carton, in which each blank has a side and two end flaps, the end flaps on one blank being glue flaps, said flaps being united to one another to form two opposite sides by a folding and gluing operation, the combination of magazines to receive the blanks to be united and in which they are stacked one above the other, an assembly station provided by plates superimposed one above the other and adapted each to receive a blank and to maintain the same in spaced relation during the gluing operation, suction operating means, by which a blank, which is next in the pile, can be withdrawn from each magazine, each of said means being normally inoperative but capable of movement into and out of operative position and adapted on engagement with the outer blank in the pile to extract it by means of suction, blank advancing means arranged to receive the extracted blank and to advance it to the assembly position, said blank advancing means including upper and lower sets of rollers adapted to receive the blank from the suction operating means and to advance it to the assembly station, a device by which glue flaps on one blank, in its passage from the magazine to assembly position, are bent in planes at an angle to the side of the blank, adhesive applying members located in the path of the oncoming blank and positioned for engagement with the glue flaps of said one blank and adapted to apply a coating of glue thereto, and presser devices which are normally inoperative but are adapted to move to engage the flaps of the other blank and to bend them to a position in contact with the glue flaps of said one blank.

10. A machine as claimed in claim 9: wherein the means for conveying the blanks having the glue flaps to the assembly position also includes upper and lower endless belts adapted to engage the blank centrally and bending devices are provided in the path of said conveyor belt for bending the glue flaps through the required angle.

11. A machine as claimed in claim 10 having bending devices adapted to bend the glue flaps out of the fiat and including rollers adapted to exert a flattening action on the glue flaps following the bending operation.

12. A machine as claimed in claim 9 in which the blank having the glue flaps to which adhesive is applied when in the assembly position is located in the lower position to enable the sides of the other blank in the upper position to be bent downwardly into engagement therewith.

13. A machine as claimed in claim 10 wherein the upper and lower conveyor belts are provided at each end with support rollers in which one of said belts is capable of angular displacement about the support roller at one end of its run in order to vary the pressure between the belts.

14. A machine as claimed in claim 13 wherein the sup port rollers for the upper endless conveyor belt are mounted on support plates and screw adjustable means is provided for raising and lowering said support plates and arranged at the trailing or discharge end thereof.

15. A machine as claimed in claim 9 having stop means to arrest at least one movement of both blanks on arrival in the assembly position, said stop means normally being in a position to prevent movement of the blanks beyond the assembly position, and means for withdrawing said stop means on completion of the carton.

16. A machine as claimed in claim 15 wherein a pusher device is provided for movement into and out of engagement with the rear edge of each blank in order to produce a positive displacement of the blank in a direction towards the stop means.

17. A machine as claimed in claim 9 wherein removal of the completed carton following the gluing operation is by means of conveyor belts which are normally inoperative, and comprises means actuated in timed relation with the gluing operation to render said conveyor belts operative to engage and remove the completed carton.

18. A machine as claimed in claim 17 wherein the belts are respectively upper and lower continuously running conveyor belts, said belts normally running in a path out of the plane of movement of the carton and means for causing displacement of the belts or a part thereof to bring them into engagement with the carton.

19. A machine as claimed in claim 18 in which an assembly table is provided to receive said one blank which constitutes a box blank on arrival in its assembly position, i

said other blank which constitutes a band blank being received by a shelf arranged in spaced relation with the assembly table and wherein the conveyor belts are adapted to engage that side of the carton supported by the assembly table and the shelf supporting the opposite side of the carton is adapted for displacement in order to move out of engagement therewith to facilitate release of the carton as a whole.

20. A machine as claimed in claim 9 in which the plates providing the assembly station include a lower plate pro viding a table to receive said one blank and an upper plate providing a shelf to receive said other blank.

21. A machine as claimed in claim 20 in which the means for engagement with said other blank to move the sides or flaps thereof into overlapping engagement with the adhesive bearing flaps on said one blank comprises a bridge member slidably supported for movement to wards and from the assembly station and moveable to an operative position in which said other blank is gripped between a presser plate on the bridge member and the shelf plate, and folding elements pivotally attached to the bridge member and so arranged that on movement of the bridge member to its operative position, the said elements will be actuated to bend the sides of said other blank into engagement with the flaps of said one blank.

22. A machine as claimed in claim 21 in which the presser plate is retractably supported by the bridge member.

23. A machine as claimed in claim 21 comprising a bridge plate capable of limited displacement in relation to the bridge member in which the bridge plate is provided with ear plates for engagement with the sides of the said other blank, and lever members are mounted on the bridge member for actuating the ear plates.

24. A machine as claimed in claim 23 wherein the 10 lever members are provided with cam rollers for engagement with cam tracks on the machine frame.

No references cited. 

